Illinois Institute of Technology - Integral / Lewis Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 12 text:

l l l 4 V i I i 4 l L u n 1 i I Sometimes when we are extra brave or perhaps extra foolish, we take a walk east of campus. At first sight, we were shocked, now as seniors, we are instead a bit saddened, or somewhat pitiful, The skinny kids playing in the littered streets, the dried old men pulling their rickety carts of scrap and rags, the decaying weatherbeaten houses, sport- ing their cracked windows, the broken glass that lays everywhere all make us wonder why. Is this the real Chicago, or is it shiny new Lake Meadows further east? What a wretched place to live, or to go to school! Freshmen wonder why the seniors seem to possess such a lousy attitude about Tech. Eventually they too will know the feeling of con- stant wariness of the group standing on the dark corner, the solitary figure in the parking lot at night, or the man that is walking just a little bit too fast. They will get tired of the second glances when they give their school address, of the refusals to deliver to that place. It is a changing place, a slum unbecoming, maybe, but it is still a slum. There are, however, some nice things too. The beach ten min- utes walk away, Sox Park, the quick ride downtown. Still, there is not very much to do on or near cam- pus. A beer, other than the Deuces is a mile away, a hot dog or hamburger, except at the Commons is as far as Walgreens or Halstedg a movie, well that's downtown. Even the library closes at eight.